An Alumni Chat with President Simon Hess
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Les Levi is the Chief Operating Officer of HC2 Broadcasting, one of the largest media companies in the US with some 250 TV stations nationwide. Prior to this entrepreneurial role, Les spent most of his career on Wall Street – as a bond analyst, investment banker and hedge fund manager.
Dr. Levi’s time on Wall Street included several roles for Drexel Burnham, Merrill Lynch, and JPMorgan where he transitioned from high yield research into investment banking. As a head of Telecom, Media and Technology Leveraged Finance, he worked at underwriting billions of dollars of bonds and bank loans in what were the fastest growing industries in the US.
Dr. Levi’s experience in serving impactful institutions include several positions on non-profit boards such as the National Book Foundation (sponsor of the National Book Awards), the Columbia University’s Center for American Studies Board, and the Columbia Graduate School Alumni Board, among others.
Dr. Levi attended New York University and graduated Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude with a major in English. He attended graduate school at Columbia University studying English & Comparative Literature, earning a Ph.D. He also earned an MBA in Finance at the Stern Business School at NYU. Through his years at Columbia, he taught both composition and literature courses at the college and at CUNY (City University of NY).
Mike Komaransky, father of Hugo ’26 and Luca ’29, graduated from University of Chicago in 2001. He worked as a trader and later a partner at DRW Trading in both Chicago and London, starting Cumberland, one of the world’s first cryptocurrency trading desks. He moved to Miami in 2018 and founded Grapefruit Trading, Ransky Trading and currently manages a portfolio of crypto-related investments
Vincent Signorello founded Scout Capital Partners in 2017 and Scout Cold Logistics in 2021. He currently serves as the Chairman and CEO of Scout Cold Logistics. Previously, Vincent was the President and CEO of Florida East Coast Industries, a wholly owned company of Fortress Investment Group. Vincent also served in executive roles at Fortress Investment Group, Barclays Capital and Lehman Brothers. Prior to his investment banking and private equity career, Vincent served as an active duty officer in the United States Army where he led reconnaissance and infantry units. Vincent supports numerous non-profit organizations involving education and veteran assistance, including serving as the previous Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Gulliver Prep. Vincent, his wife Shannon, and his two children Cole and Mason currently reside in Coconut Grove.
Michalis is the Managing Partner of Banyan Investment Partners L.P. Prior to Banyan, Michalis spent his formative professional years at Goldman Sachs, Sciens Capital Partners L.P. and Grupo Financiero Uno. Michalis received his MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University where he was a Fuqua Scholar and his undergraduate degree in Economics (Finance) from the Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania. For the past 12 years, he has served on the Board of Trustees of Gulliver Prep, chairing the Board from 2018-20.
Michalis, a native of Cyprus, and his wife Alejandra, moved back to Miami in 2001 and have been involved in various philanthropic and education-related initiatives. Their three children all attended and graduated from Gulliver Prep.
Ann M. Olazábal serves as the Chair of Gulliver’s Board of Trustees for academic years 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. In her seventh year on the Board, she previously served as Vice Chair and Treasurer/Chair of the Finance Committee. A former Interim Dean and Vice Dean of two different portfolios at the University of Miami Herbert Business School, Ann is deeply committed to education as a value and to innovation in the education space. She currently chairs the Business Law Department at Miami Herbert, teaching primarily graduate students and publishing scholarship at the intersection of law, ethics, and business. Prior to entering academe, Ann practiced law for a decade and served as an officer of a Miami export firm.
Ann earned her JD from the University of Notre Dame (‘87) and her MBA from Miami Herbert (’97). She is married to F. David Olazábal, a veteran wealth manager at the Bermont Carlin group of Morgan Stanley in Coral Gables. Both of their sons are proud Gulliver alums: Christian (’21), is a senior majoring in real estate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Nicholas (’23), is a sophomore studying finance and history at the University of Texas-Austin.
In 2015, Mrs. Morales and her husband co-founded the Morales Family Foundation where she serves as the President. The Foundation primarily focuses on education, partnering with local and national non-profit organizations to provide superior education alternatives for low-income children throughout the country. In 2016, the Foundation partnered with the Urban Assembly in New York City to plan and create the first Career & Technical Education (CTE) charter school in New York State.
Mrs. Morales was one of the founding members of the Columbia College Alumnae Legacy Circle in 2016, a leadership giving society that was inspired by the 30th anniversary of coeducation at Columbia College and was established to recognize and inspire female philanthropy.
In 2011, Mrs. Morales and her husband co-founded Morales Capital Partners (MCP), a single-family office that makes direct venture capital and private equity investments in support of women and minority founders and management teams. Mrs. Morales serves as the Chief Investment Officer for MCP.
Mrs. Morales holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics from Columbia University.
The Color Run will take place from 3:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. in the northeast end of the parking lot. Children ages 9-18 are welcome to participate. All participants will be required to have a parent or guardian sign a liability waiver in order to participate. In order to participate, students need to sign-up at the welcome table. We will close sign-ups at 2:45 p.m.
The powder being used is made from natural ingredients, and is recommended as safe, non toxic, biodegradable and easy to wash off. However, we cannot guarantee that it will not stain clothing, so we recommend dressing accordingly.
Recognizing supporters of The Gulliver Fund at $1,000 and above
Members of the Raider’s Circle are the mortar that holds together our remarkable Gulliver community. Individuals who make gifts at this level provide Gulliver with the critical support that we need to continue educating tomorrow’s leaders while focused on a shared vision for the future.
Recognizing supporters of The Gulliver Fund at $10,000 and above
Donors whose growing capacity allows them to make gifts at this level are welcomed into the Honor Circle. Gifts like these bolster The Gulliver Fund, and by extension every single student, coach, and faculty member.
Recognizing supporters of The Gulliver Fund at $25,000 and above
Leadership Circle donors are philanthropic standard-bearers. With gifts of $25,000 or more, they significantly impact this community while simultaneously raising the bar for others.
Recognizing supporters whose lifetime giving to Gulliver exceeds $100,000
Those members of the Gulliver Prep family who give $100,000 or more over time are welcomed to the 1926 Society. Their generosity strengthens our ability to create and preserve innovative academic programs, develop initiatives that improve the Gulliver community, attract, and retain top-notch faculty, and provide scholarships and educational opportunities for deserving students.
Joseph Hassan is founder and CEO of American Capital Alliance (“ACA”), an alternative asset investment company that deploys capital across an array of investment strategies. Mr. Hassan founded the company in 2001 to service and run a multi-strategy, single family office with over $1 billion in real estate assets and operating businesses in the United States, the Caribbean, and South America. During this time, Mr. Hassan formulated policies and provided overall direction and advice to a portfolio of businesses that ranged from residential and commercial real estate to hedge funds and private equity companies.
Currently, Mr. Hassan is founder and president of American Capital Real Estate Group (“ACRE Group”), a luxury residential home developer with projects located in South Florida. Mr. Hassan holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Miami. He is a certified general contractor and was a registered investment advisor in the State of Florida.
Vivian de las Cuevas-Diaz is an attorney in Holland & Knight’s Miami office and serves as the firmwide deputy section leader of the Real Estate Section, assisting in managing the firm’s nationwide real estate practice. Her practice is supplemented by her bilingual and multicultural team that facilitates her U.S.-based and international clients’ needs in their U.S.-bound projects.
Ms. de las Cuevas-Diaz is called to assist in developing solutions for various complex real estate transactions for her U.S.-based and international clients. Her clients include those with businesses focused in the areas of multifamily housing, industrial projects, hospitality, retail, residential development, and office buildings.
Within her residential practice, Ms. de las Cuevas-Diaz has also represented clients in high-end homes. Her experience with this wide range of real estate clients includes acquisitions and dispositions, development and construction, acquisition and construction financing, corporate structuring, and joint venture negotiations.
Ms. de las Cuevas-Diaz earned her Juris Doctor at Tulane University Law School.
Jocelyn Frank Woolworth rejoins Gulliver’s Board of Trustees as a successor trustee. A Miami native, Jocelyn practiced law in Washington, D.C. and Miami, after earning a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University.
Now retired, Jocelyn has dedicated her time to many non-profit organizations in South Florida, including significant time as a trustee of Gulliver Preparatory School, serving previously as Secretary and Chair. In addition to Gulliver, Jocelyn currently serves on the board of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation, and along with her family, are benefactors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami and Temple Judea.
Jocelyn lives in Coral Gables with her husband, Eric, President of Business Pperations for the Miami Heat and Kaseya Center. They have two grown children, Jackson and Cassidy. Jackson, after graduating from Georgetown University, returned to Miami to teach school for several years, and now attends the University of Miami Law School. Cassidy, a 2019 Gulliver graduate, graduated from Tulane University’s School of Architecture and is currently working as an interior designer in New York City.
Guilherme Ribeiro do Valle, has been an investor since the mid-nineties. In 1997 he relocated from his native São Paulo, Brazil to New York to work for Garantia, a Brazilian investment bank later acquired by Credit Suisse. In 2003 Guilherme founded ABS Global Investments, a Greenwich CT headquartered investment firm that manages assets on behalf of Pension Funds, Endowments & Foundations. He is currently a managing partner and portfolio manager at the firm.
Guilherme met his wife Benjamine in New York, and their two sons were born in the city. In 2019, the family decided to relocate to Miami. The Valle family is actively supporting philanthropic organizations in the US, Brazil, and France.
Guilherme has a degree in Business Administration from Fundação Getúlio Vargas in São Paulo and is a CFA charter holder. Besides work and family, Guilherme enjoys practicing endurance and water sports.
Scott Davidson attended Gulliver Preparatory School from kindergarten through 12th grade. A Miami native, he has worked in finance at JPMorgan where he was a Managing Director and Group Head; as a Portfolio Manager at two large hedge fund groups; and as the CEO of a NYSE listed finance company. He currently manages his family’s real estate business in South Florida.
Scott has served as the Chair, Vice Chair, and Treasurer of Gulliver’s Board of Trustees and is currently Past Chair and Successor Trustee. Additionally, he is Gulliver’s boys’ varsity soccer coach and program director.
Scott also serves on the Board of the Yale School of Management as well as the University of Miami’s MRED program, and as a Director of Spartans FC in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Jennifer Stearns Buttrick is Of Counsel to Stearns Weaver Miller and serves as Director of Pro Bono and Community Services, and outside general counsel for not-for-profit organizations. She is very active in the community, currently serving on the boards of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami, The Honors College at Florida International University, and The Education Fund.
Jennifer received her undergraduate degree in Spanish and history from Florida State University. While in college, she spent a semester at the University of Salamanca in Spain, where she developed a proficiency in Spanish. She continued at Florida State for law school, serving as Notes and Comments Editor of the Law Review and graduating with honors.
Brad Meltzer is Partner and President of Two Roads Development. In this role, he oversees real estate development activities from design through construction and supports the team in identifying new real estate opportunities as well as facilitating overall company growth.
Specializing in delivering high-end developments, Meltzer has led award-winning projects from inception to completion across various asset classes, including Biscayne Beach, The One Thousand Museum Tower, the 4 Tower Paraiso Complex, the Ritz Carlton Residences Miami Beach, The Marquis, Millicento, W Hotel South Beach, One Hotel and Homes, Icon Bay, Carillon Miami Beach (Canyon Ranch), Town Center One at Dadeland, the Aventura Mall Expansion, and Mandarin Oriental Miami.
Meltzer has managed the construction of 15 buildings in excess of 35 stories and two in excess of 60 stories. He holds a Master’s in Architecture from Tulane University School of Architecture and has more than 35 years of construction experience, having led a top national construction firm as its CEO. He also sits on the Advisory Board of the University of Miami MRED+U and Construction Management programs, Tulane University School of Architecture Advisory Board, Voices for Children Board of Directors, and La Gorce Country Club Board of Governors.
A veteran of South Florida’s real estate industry, John Sumberg has practiced law in the area of commercial real estate for over 45 years, during which he helped shape deals that have transformed South Florida’s landscape. John founded commercial law firm Bilzin Sumberg in 1998 in Miami and served as its Managing Partner for over 20 years.
During that tenure, and alongside the firm’s other leadership, he grew Bilzin Sumberg into a nationally recognized regional powerhouse, active across Florida. John has also been actively engaged in local community initiatives, most notably those that serve vulnerable individuals and families, in addition to advising local educational institutions.
John graduated from Yale University and received his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.
Mrs. Zeinab Ramos was born in Lagos, Nigeria and is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience across education, banking, law, mining and non-profits. Her expertise includes mentoring, leadership, conflict resolution, financial management, and strategic planning, with a deep understanding of the Nigerian, British, and American education systems.
She has successfully managed teams and fostered executive talent, demonstrating exceptional judgment and problem-solving skills. Mrs. Ramos has held roles in diverse sectors and served on numerous boards, including companies in construction and finance.
A strong advocate for philanthropy, she is a great cook, an avid traveler and reader. Her communication and interpersonal skills make her an effective leader and collaborator.
Mrs. Ramos holds a master’s degree in Law and has participated in several executive management development programs. She lives in Miami with her husband and family.
Mr. Millstein is the President of Cerberus Global Investments and Global Head of Real Assets for Cerberus. He leads the Firm’s global real estate franchise, which invests across the capital structure in commercial and residential properties and portfolios, as well as directly into real estate operating companies and servicing platforms.
Prior to joining Cerberus in 2007, Mr. Millstein was Head of Corporate and Investment Banking for Aozora Bank, where he was responsible for the bank’s corporate lending, real estate, leveraged lending, structured credit, and principal investing businesses. From 1994 to 2004, he was at Morgan Stanley, most recently as Managing Director and Head of High-Yield and Distressed Principal Investing in Japan and non-Japan Asia.
Mr. Millstein graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s The Wharton School. He is on the Board of Directors for GO Project, a non-profit supporting educational equity in New York City, and the PREA Foundation, an organization advancing diversity and inclusion in the real estate industry. He also sits on several Cerberus committees and is the Chairman of the CSR Advisory Committee.
Benjamin Gettler is a graduate of Yale University and holds a JD with an emphasis in tax and business planning from the University of Cincinnati. He has served on various public and private boards and has actively advised publicly traded companies, charitable organizations and law firms.
Commencing in 2004, Mr. Gettler oversaw the rollout of an investment fund targeting value-added real estate opportunities, leading to his becoming a founding partner of Dolphin Properties & Investments. Prior to its sale, the partnership owned and managed multi-family assets across the United States.
Mr. Gettler is also a director and business development manager for a real estate and manufacturing concern based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The company manufactured rubber and foam components and operated real estate projects in northern Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Florida. Prior to going private, the company was listed on a major stock exchange.
Mr. Gettler enjoys travelling, tennis, and spending time with his wife and his three children, all of whom attend Gulliver (Reed ‘25, Benjamin ‘27, and Sloane ‘34). He is an active member of his community as a philanthropist and volunteer and currently serves on the board of the Gettler Family Foundation.
Gavin Beekman is a Founding Partner of Pensam and CEO of Pensam Management. Pensam is a multifamily private real estate investor and capital provider which has invested in over 50,000 apartment units spanning across 28 states in the United States.
Prior to founding Pensam, Gavin was a partner in an International Bank and Trust company based in Canada. Originally from South Africa, Gavin has degrees in accounting and worked at Arthur Andersen in Cape Town. Gavin serves as board member of HIP (Health Information Project) and is an active member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO).
He received a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a post graduate degree in accounting from Rhodes University in South Africa.
Owen Baillie ’98
Ryan Gardner ’98 P’22
Paul Kelly ’98
George Levy ’98
Jacquie Wechsler ’98 P’31,’31
Andrea Agha ’99
Joshua Goldfarb ’99
Andrew Korge ’99
Genny Zhu ’99
Percy Avetrani ’00
Gina Beekman ’00 P ’29 ’31 ’35
Daniel de la Vega ’00
Barclay Gang ’00
Isidro Jauregui ’00
Sylvia Kruger ’00
Rachael Martin ’00
Lara Paraskos ’00 P’31,’34,’36
Maggie Schneider ’00
Lara Shapiro ’00
Tadeo Acosta-Rubio ’19
Teddy Bueres ’19
Carolina Freund ’19
Agustin Mengoni ’19
Veronica Balli ’14
Enrique Barco ’14
Stefano Campana ’14
Cassandra Cancela ’14
Ryan Cordero ’14
Pedro Diaz ’14
Luis Diego ’14
Braden Donayre ’14
Kaylee Fantis ’14
Patricio Hernandez-Ysasi ’14
Daniel Herrera ’14
Dennis Jamison ’14
Eric Jaramillo-Martinez ’14
William Lowe ’14
Maria Sofia Muller ’14
Nicolas Nefiodow ’14
Baker Newman ’14
Sachin Parekh ’14
Hernan Prieto ’14
Nathan Randall ’14
Jacqueline Rasch Castillo ’14
Luis Reuther ’14
Daniel Rodriguez ’14
Benjamin Roque ’14
Alesia Salvatierra ’14
Andrew Samole ’14
Edward Sanchez ’14
Luis Felipe Santos ’14
Kaeli Streeter ’14
Cara Zito ’14
Tesi Zito ’14
Patricio Ysasi ’14
Ariella Allegri Midolo ’84
Jeff Bartel ’84 P’22,’27
Nancy Bernstein ’84
Michelle Braddish ’84
Dana Brown ’84
Kimberly Fay Clark Dunn ’84
Tiffany Conser ’84
Lisa d’Adesky Campbell ’84
Bret Dorion ’84
Stephanie Dreyfuss ’84
Marlene Fairchild ’84
Anna Feiler ’84
Nora Gindy ’84
Bobby Glick ’84
Linda Golkar ’84
Peter Hamilton ’84
Lainie Hansen ’84
Betty Iriondo Andrikopoulos ’84
Michael Kaminer ’84
Leslie McGregor ’84
Helena Moran ’84
Gregg Parker ’84
Brian Robboy ’84
Marco Rojas ’84 P’14,’23,’26
Michelle Rubel Braddish ’84
Braulio Ruiz ’84
Kelli Sabatino ’84
Robin Saks ’84
Laura Schrank ’84
Tara Sher ’84
Joe Shostak ’84
Shelley Stonesifer ’84
Jayme Taylor ’84
William Trattler ’84 P’18,’21,’23,’37
Joanne Weaver ’84
Michael Weissberg ’84
James Williams ’84
Kevin Bowen ‘89
Doug Brown ‘89 P ‘25, ‘27, ‘31
Julie McConnell ‘89
Christina Morgan ‘89
Jill Reiter ‘89 P ‘20, ‘23, ‘25
Andres Restrepo ‘89
Adam Steckley ‘89
Eddie Stephens ‘89
Yoli Suarez ‘89
Dania Alonso ‘94 P ‘23, ‘25, ‘30
Danielle Bowen ‘94 P ‘21, ‘23
Benita De Mirza ’94
Samantha Feuer ’94
Tony Figueroa Cisneros ’94 P’25,’27
Deborah Ginsberg ’94
Marc Gralnick ‘94
JJ Hansen ‘94
Jennifer Ingham Shelley ‘94
Christopher Kavalir ‘94
Stephanie Martin ‘94
Tyler Master ‘94
Camilo Miguel ‘94
Christopher Olsen ‘94
Cheree Padilla ‘94
Deb Rostorfer ‘94
Courtney Sullivan Noyes ‘94 P ‘22, ‘25, ‘30
Nicole Aronson ’04
Cecilia Balocco ’04
Aaron Black ’04
Galo Bueno ’04
Phillip Calderon ’04
Natalie Caruncho ’04
Ramon Corona ’04
Robert Cromer ’04
Andre De Aguiar ’04
Alina De La Vega ’04
Dain De Souza ’04
Christopher Diaz ’04
Natalie Duran ’04
Nina Dyer ’04
Amanda Estrella ’04
Andrew Fendelman ’04
Daniela Fernandez ’04
James Ferraro ’04
Brett Firestone ’04
Steph Gaines ’04
Edward Garza ’04
Rana Ghosn ’04
Nicolas Gil ’04
Sabrina Gordon ’04
Matthew Gutierrez
Andy Hagen ’04
Marie Hernandez ’04
Daniel Jones ’04
John Krutulis ’04
David Lerner ’04
Blair Lundeen ’04
Mitchell Lundeen ’04
Dominic Maggio ’04
Yaddi Marin ’04
Mark Marion ’04
Courtney Mohammadi ’04
Michelle Nash Savett ’04 P’34,’35,’37
Philippe Neumann ’04
Ashley Pardo ’04
Greta Pedraza ’04
Richard Perdomo ’04
Matias Perez ’04
Wesley Pritchett ’04
David Rabello ’04
Matthew Racher ’04
Jonathan Rakofsky ’04
Jessica Reeves ’04
Paola Reyes ’04
Maruquel Rojas ’04
Jaimie Shepard Scheiner ’04
Sharony Shnitzer ’04
Matt Sinnreich ’04
Grant Smith ’04
Jordan Smith ’04
Cristina Sosa ’04
Alfredo Suarez-Sarmiento ’04 P’38
Katie Suarez-Sarmiento ’04 P’38
Daniel Tegnelia ’04
Ryan Thornton ’04
Francisca Valdes Power ’04
Francesca Vergani ’04
Teddi Zuckerman ’04
Coming Soon
Please email us at admissions@gulliverprep.org if you would like to be placed on a waitlist or to schedule a visit to our campus. We can’t wait to meet you!
To register for the Primary and Lower School Open House on December 3, click here. If you are unable to attend that day, please email us at admissions@gulliverprep.org to schedule a visit to our campus. We can’t wait to meet you!
Beginning in Primary, students will experience music and movement through storytelling and song. They are given opportunities to create, perform, respond, and connect skills to form a deeper understanding of the discipline. They have multiple chances to perform throughout the year which help to build their confidence and share their voices with our school community.
When students maintain adequate levels of physical fitness and make healthy choices, the conditions and opportunities for learning also increase. The Physical Education program in Lower School supports children to gain individual skills, as well as their knowledge of working as a team. The focus is on hand- and foot-eye coordination and building flexibility, strength and stamina. Lessons are planned to maximize the amount of time students are engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity, and daily instruction supports growth over time. Once skills are learned, they are integrated into game situations that incorporate strategy, teamwork, cooperation, and positive sportsmanship.
When students maintain adequate levels of physical fitness and make healthy choices, the conditions and opportunities for learning also increase.
The Physical Education program in Primary supports children to gain individual skills, while building their knowledge of working as a team. Each lesson is carefully planned to maximize the amount of time students are engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity. The focus is on locomotive movements, hand- and foot-eye coordination, balance, flexibility and building strength and stamina. Once skills are learned, they are integrated into game situations that incorporate teamwork and cooperation.
Engineering & Computer Science (CSL Room 229) w/Cristina Telepman and students
Visual Arts (CSL Room 210) – w/ Beth Harrison and students
Transformation. Together. 2026. formally launched in May 2022, and, in October 2022, we opened the Center for Student Life at our Marian C. Krutulis PK-8 Campus. This 60,000 square foot facility was the first new building to be constructed as part of our capital campaign, and is at the heart of student life and learning. In March 2023, the Tennis Complex officially opened, marking the completion of Phase II.
With Phase III in progress, Phase IV pending fundraising, and Phase V on the horizon, we continue to make steady progress toward our campus transformation at the Upper School Campus.
Milestones are specific initiatives set that help to achieve our strategic plan goals. Examples of completed milestones in this goal include designing and implementing a capital campaign, increasing giving participation, and creating athletic sponsorship opportunities.
The Ensure Our Future goal incorporates the themes of building a culture of philanthropy and learning spaces. These themes will assist in funding our facility improvements and enhancing our programmatic offerings.
Milestones are specific initiatives set that help to achieve our strategic plan goals. Examples of completed milestones in this goal include increasing funding and or services to meet the needs of non-traditional students, establishing of a new employee mentoring program, developing an outdoor multi-day orientation for all incoming 9th grade students, and changing the communication process so that the Gulliver difference is portrayed effectively through storytelling.
The Leverage Our Strengths goal incorporates the themes of expanding community partnerships, enhancing effectiveness in addressing diversity, equity and inclusion, increasing faculty engagement, pedagogy, marketing and branding, and supporting new students and families.
The Empower Our Students goal incorporates the themes of grading and placement, social and emotional learning, character education, and expanding student leadership. Each effort expands on the development of building student agency, well-being, leadership, and character.
Milestones are specific initiatives set that help to achieve our strategic plan goals. Examples of completed milestones in this goal include proposing new ways for students to demonstrate proficiency of standards and mastery, creating opportunities for affinity groups to meet in “open spaces”, suggesting new character education policies to help promote and support student responsibility, and launching a peer tutoring program in the Upper School to improve skills taught in classes.
The Unite Our Community goal incorporates the themes of curriculum development, professional development, and progress monitoring. Each theme builds on the belief that a shared mission and vision can strengthen and align our community
Milestones are specific initiatives set that help to achieve our strategic plan goals. Examples of completed milestones in this goal include increasing opportunities for faculty to meet with library personnel around the research policy, developing a digital source of professional development webinars, and proposing updates to the current systems that help identify students with academic needs.
Math Workshop is a framework that allows students to learn new math content each day, practice math strategies in a variety of ways, and reflect on learning through verbal or written sharing. The predictable structure of the math workshop makes it easier for students to participate in differentiated activities.
Units throughout the year include:
The program in the Primary School provides the foundation for the robust English language arts curriculum at Gulliver, and supports students as they develop into confident readers, researchers, and efficient writers across all content areas.
Aligned with the Science of Reading, the comprehensive ELA program affords students the opportunity to continuously practice and develop strong listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. The program consists of a unique combination of elements from different research informed curricula, that emphasizes hallmarks of a structured early literacy program: oral language development, phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, listening comprehension.
Students develop their voice during Writing Workshop as they learn the writing process, including generating ideas, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Writing Workshop begins with a mini-lesson, is followed by independent writing time, and concludes with sharing of student work. In SK, students begin by drawing pictures to tell stories, labeling the picture, and then writing words to describe the pictures. Students are encouraged to write the sounds they hear in words, as well as include sight words that are posted in the classroom.
Units throughout the year include:
Handwriting is taught using the Handwriting Without Tears program. Students develop their skills over time, focusing first on how to hold instruments properly, and then on size and spacing in order to form letters and write with ease. The curriculum uses hands-on, multisensory materials and was designed in such a way that it introduces shapes, numbers, and letters in an order that matches the progression of children’s developmental abilities so that it is easier for them to practice, learn, and remember. The program follows research of how children learn best and includes materials that address all styles of learning.
A mathematical foundation is established in PK and JK with interactive games, puzzles, block building, and manipulatives. Our morning meeting begins by reviewing the calendar and daily schedule, incorporating the gradual understanding of time, counting, and numeral recognition. Throughout these activities, children develop an understanding of numerals, shapes, patterns, measurement, sorting, one-to-one correspondence, categorizing, and logical thinking. Various manipulatives aid students in developing mathematical problem-solving skills as they count, sort, combine, and measure with pattern blocks, counters, and tangrams.
Emergent literacy for PK and JK is integrated throughout our curriculum. Our print-rich environment helps children understand why and how print is used. Nursery rhymes and songs allow the children to hear the sounds of speech in our oral language. Active engagement with books and storytelling promote pre-literacy skills that build vocabulary, develop comprehension, and support higher levels of thinking. Over time, children learn to express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences through drawing and writing.
Students in every grade spend the first six weeks of school understanding their role and learning how to be a positive member of their class and school community. Each class develops classroom expectations and discusses how to work together and problem solve when challenges arise, in alignment with the Responsive Classroom approach.
Every grade learns about various communities and the important role that the people, places and history play as they develop and change over time.
Through a project-based approach, students share and learn about themselves, their families, school, local, national and global communities. Performances, field trips, and real-life simulations support students’ growth throughout their units of study.